Contact spring supporting and adjusting structure



g- 2, 1932 H. E. ASHWORTH 1,869,648

CONTACT SPRING SUPPORTING AND ADJUSTING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 26, 1951 INVENTOR.

HawwyEAs/pwoviil HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 2, 1932 urrr.v rs

FES-

HARRY E. ASHWOBTH, OF SWISSVALE, YENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SJVITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, 03? SVV'ISSVATE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA CONTACT SPRING SUPPORTING AND ADJUSTING STRUCTURE Application filed December 26, 1931. Serial No. 583,261.

My invention relates to supporting and adj usting structures for contact springs, and has for an object the provision of novel and improved means for permitting the adjust ment of acontact spring inside of a relay case without the necessity for opening the case.

I will describe one form of structure embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in the claim.

The accompanying drawing is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing one form of structure embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character F designates a supporting plate which may, for'example, be the top plate of an electrical relay. Passing through a suitable aperture in this plate, is a terminal screw T having its head T on the underside of the plate and its shank projecting above the upper side of the plate. This screw T may be fixed in position in any suitable manner, such, for example, as by means of a nut 5 co-acting with the screw and engaging the upper surface of the plate P. The screw T is provided above the nut 5 with the usual terminal nuts 3 and washers 4, so that the device constitutes the usual terminal post to which one or more wires may be attached.

A flexible spring hinge S is bent at right angles to form a horizontal arm and a vertical arm. The horizontal arm is bifurcated to receive the shank on the terminal screw T, and this arm is clamped against the lower surface of the plate P by the head T of the terminal screw. Attached to the vertical arm of the hinge S is a contact spring S, the free end of which is provided with a contact member S coacting with another contact member 0.

The contact screw T is provided with a longitudinal hole T extending the entire length of the screw, and the end of this holeadj acent the head T is threaded. Passing through this hole T is an adjusting screw A, the lower end of which is threaded to coact with the screw threads in the hole T The adjusting screw A projects outwardly from the head T and cooperates with a thrust bracket B, which is attached to the vertical arm of the vided with a slot to receive a screwdriver.

The upper end of the terminal screw T is provided with a cap 6, which may be removed at such times as it is desired to adjust the position of the contact spring S.

The spring hinge S is so adjusted as to bias the bracket B against the lower end of the adjusting screw A. It follows that by turning the screw A in one direction, the lower end of the contact spring S will be moved to the right, whereas by turning the screw in the other direction, the lower end of the spring will be moved to the left. It follows that the normal position of the contact spring S may bevaried from the outside of the relay case.

Structures embodying my invention are particularly well adapted for use in connection with thermal relays, and when used in this manner, the time interval of the relay may be adjusted from the outside, thereby avoiding the necessity for opening the relay case. In such instances the spring S will usually be provided with a heating winding whereby the spring is bent into engagement with the contact member 0 whenthe winding is energized. This winding forms no part of my present invention, and is therefore omitted from the drawing. When used in this manner, the variation of the time interval of the relay is, of course, accomplished by varying the gap between contact members S and C. In other instances, the contact member C may be movable and the contact spring S may be fixed, but the method of adjustment will be the same.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of structure embodying my invention, it is understood that vari ous changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: I

A contact spring supporting and adjusting structure, comprising an apertured supporting plate, a terminal screw passing through said plate and fixed therein and provided with a longitudinal hole extending the entire length of the screw and at least a part of which is threaded a contact spring assembly comprising a spring hinge member bent to form two angularly disposed arms one of which is clamped against said plate by the head of said terminal screw and the other of which constitutes the contact spring, a thrust bracket attached to said contact spring, and an adjusting screw passing through said hole in the terminal screw and coacting with said thrust bracket said spring hinge member being biased to urge said bracket against said adjusting screw, whereby the position of the free end of the contact spring may be varied from the other side of said plate by turning said adjusting screw in the terminal screw.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

HARRY E. ASHWVORTH. 

